Agriculture – Week of March 24, 2011

STAFF CONTACT:  Kerry Wright

HF 453 — Transfers egg production regulation to IDALS

HF 532 — Dept. of Agriculture code clean-up

COMMITTEE ACTION:

HF 532 is the result of the Iowa Department of Agriculture audit reports from the Auditor of the State on Iowa Code sections that the Department has not implemented or is no longer doing for a variety of reasons, including budget cuts and terminology that is no longer applicable. The Department’s responses to the Auditor were that legislation would be introduced to rescind these Code Sections. HF 532 is in response to the Auditor’s report. 

The proposal repeals the Organic Nutrient Management Fund and Program. The program was established in 1994 and was intended to provide financial incentives to establish livestock manure management systems. The Department has not received an appropriation for this program for several years. However, the Department has the ability to address nutrient management issues through water quality projects funded through REAP and REAP practice dollars.

The bill states that monies remaining in the Fund shall remain with IDALS. The current balance is $20. The legislation strikes the requirement that IDALS conduct examinations of bulk dry animal nutrient products. Chapter 200A regulates bulk dry animal nutrient and includes the requirement that a laboratory be maintained and analysis be conducted. The Department maintains a laboratory and has the capability of conducting analyses but does not have the capability of collecting bulk dry animal nutrient samples in the field. The Department requires an independent laboratory analysis of bulk dry animal nutrient be provided with each application for registration of the material. The bill eliminates the Agrichemical Remediation Act. The program was established in 2000 and was intended to be used to clean up agrichemical spills. This program has not been funded and therefore has never been implemented. The language of the Code requiring licensed swine dealers to obtain identification cards is changed. The Department does not issue identification cards for animals but issues certificates. [3/17: Short form (Black “excused”)]

FLOOR ACTION:

HF 453 transfers egg handling from the Department of Inspections and Appeals to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship effective July 1, 2012. [3/21: 48-0 (Ward, Seymour excused)]